Lock for automobiles.



J. P BECKER. LOCK FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLlcAmN FILED JUNE 26. 191e.

atented May 1, 1917.

pagina i LOCK FOR- AUTOMLGBILES.

Application filed iinc 26, 1915.

luseful improvement in locks particularly designed for use in connectionwith automobiles, the principal Object of my present invention being toprovide a (.onipuratively siniple, inexpensive, and readily andconveniently operable loch of the hind described having a bolt-memberaeaptcd to engage with the clutclrlevcr oil' the antoinebile toeliiciently lock the saine against actuation and thereby preventunauthorized use of the automobile.

With the above and other objects in view., 1ny 'invention Aresides incertain novel features oi 'loi-In7 constructiong arrangement, andcombinationl oi' parts, all as will hereinater be described andafterward pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying' drawing which illustrates my invention, .inpreferred forni,

Figure l is a fragmentary plan view of the chassis or frame andengiuediood ol an automobile equipped with iny invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view ol the saine, with a portion of theautomobile-body in longitudinal section;

Fig. S is an enlarged plan view et' an automobile-lock embodying inyinvention;

Fig. #le is a sectional view olE the saine on approximately the linefik-l, Fin, 5;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the' lock;

Fig. G is a transverse sectional view ot the saine on approximately theliuc GwG, Fig'. 4; and

Fig. i is a longitudinal sectional view o'i the saine on approximatelythe lineNT-T Fig. i.

Referring to the said drawing. in which like reference characters relerto like parts throughout the several views, A indicates thechassls-tranie, B the engine-hf od, C thev foot-board poi-'tion oi thebody, nd`D the pivoted clutch-lever of an automobile of usual torni andconstruction. The foot or clutch-lever l) operatively projects up-Specification of Letters Eatent.

iiatented iti/ay it, i931?.

Sera No. 105,923. y

wai-diy thi-(nigh a suitable slot, as at c, in foot-board C and isadapted, as is well known, to operatively connect the engine with. ordisconnect the saine troni,- theI running-gear ou the automobile, theengine and running-gear ot the car being disconnected when the lever Dis in what is known as neutral posi fon. To ei'l'iciently andpositivelyloci; this lever D releasably in such neutral position andthereby prevent unauthorized use or drivingl ot the'car, I have providedniy new-flock, which comprises a baue-plate lV provided with aprojecting extension or braclnt-arin 2 adapted to be suitablv traine Agplate l being rigidly positioned and supported beneath or under'toot-board U to one side et slot c and in opnative positien relativelyte pivoted clutch/Jever D.

Bolted or otherwise tixeth asat i, to and upon base-plate l, is achainbered cover or hoiisinganeinbcr comprising a top wall 5, side-wallsGHG, rear end wall 7, and front end wall S, 'the base-plate l forming'the bottorn wall et' the. complete housing for the parts hereinafterdescribed. y

Housed within said cover-mei'nlaer and suitably fixed preferably to andupon the under side thereof, seen in Fig. 6, is a suitable lock 9including;` a suitable preferably spriiig-projected latch 10 and akeyreceivine'portion ll. projecting upwardly through suitable.reeistering` apertures pro vided in said cove:'ineniber and 'toot-board(h as seen particularly in Fig. 9, so as to be*-l convenientlyaccessibie to a person within the body ot the automobile for theinsertion or `ren'ioval of a suitable key Fi for actuating latch 10,aeainat the tension ot its project'iuer spring (not shown)7 to retractedor bolt-unlocking' position.

llaving' their opposite ends suitably fixed in the front and rear wallsof the cover ineniber and located within thechainloer thereof onopposite .sides of said loel 9, is a pair ot longitiulinally extendingrods l-l).

Longitudinally slidalole within the chainl lier of 'the cover-member andupon the base* plate i, 'is a eluteheengaging bolt comprisM ing a pairot spaced apart l ars l8-13 rig'- idly connected by an. apiinoxiinatelycentrally disposed cross-plate 1i, the trout wall 8 ot the cover-memberbeing` suitably cut away or yapertiu'ed as seen particularly in Fig'. 5to acconnnodate slidingl niovenient of bolted or otherwise fixed, as at3, to the the bolt relatively to the plate 1 and covermember. Each ofthe bars 13 is provide-d at its inner end with a lateral extension orlug- 15 suitably apertured to accommodate and slidablylit upon the lixedrods 12, and at its outer end with an upwardly disposed projection 16adapted to provide a hand or linger-grip for actuating said bolt toclutchengaging or projected position relatively to the housing-member.

Disposed on the fixed rods 12 between said bolt-extensions 15 and thefront wall 8 of the cover-member are coiled springs or the like 17.

In operation or use, the said bolt suitably engaged or grasped at itsextensions 1G, which also suitably project upwardly through asuitableslot provided in tootboard C, and pulled outwardly, against the tensionof said springs 17, to projected position relatively to thehousing-member, said .bolt when in such projected position engaging atthe forward ends of its bars 13 upon opposite sides of the clutch-leverD, as illustrated particularly in Fig. 1, and thereby preventing:r anypivoted movement of said lever; and on the bolt being pulled past thelatch 10 in its said outward movement to engage the lever D, the latch10, under the tension of its projecting spring, springs into engagementwith said bolt at preferably one of its lugs or extensions 1 5, as seenparticularly in Fig. 4, and thereby locks the bolt in its said projectedor clutchengaging position. 0n a key E being inserted into portion 11 otthe lock 9 and latch 10 thereby actuated to retracted position againstthe tension o't its projecting' spring, boltbars 13 will be at once,under the tension or pull of springs 17, retracted out of lockingengagement' with the lever D, when the lever D may be freely actuated toconnect the engine with the running-gear of the car as may be desired.

My lock is comparatively simple in form and construction, may be readilyoperatively.

mounted upon an automobile, and serves to efficiently as described lockthe lever D against actuation to prevent unauthorized use of the car.

I am aware that minor changes in the form, construction, arrangement,and combination of the several parts ot my new loclr may be made andsubstituted within the ucope of the appended claims tor those hereinshown and described without. departing from the nature and principle ofmy invention.

cesante Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: l

1. 1n a device of the kind described; an inelosinfr housing, a lockincluding a latch movable wholly within said housing and a portionprojecting exteriorly of said housing', said portion being' adapted onlyto re ceive a key to actuate said latch, fixed rods disposedlongitudinally wholly within said housing, a bolt slidable within thehousing and having a bifurcated portion adapted, when the bolt is inprojected position relatively to the housing, to engage with a pivotedlever to lock the Same against movenient, said latch being adapted toengage with said bolt to releasably lock the saine in projected positionextensions on said bolt slidably fitting on said rods, and coiledsprings disposed on said rods within the housing and engaging saidbolt-extensions, said springs being adapted to yieldingly retract saidbolt trom projected position on the disengagement ot said latch from thebolt.

2. The combination with an automobile, including' its frame andclutch-lever, oi a bracket-arm fixed to said frame, a plate member onsaid arm disposed in operative position relatively to said lever, allousingmember tixed to said plate-member, a lock including a latchmovable wholly within said housing-member and a portion projctingexteriorly of said housing member, said portion being adapted only toreceive, a key to aetuate said latch, rods disposed longitudinallywholly within said housingmember with their ends fixed in opposite wallsthereof, a bolt slidable upon said platemember and within thehousing-member and having a bifurcated portion adapted, when the boltis. in projected position relatively to the housing-member, to engagewith said lever to lock the same against movement, said latch beingadapted to engage with said bolt to releasably lock the same inprojected position, perforated extensions on said bolt slidably fittingon said rods, coiled springs interposed on said rods between saidextensions and a wall of said housing-member.v said springs beingadapted to yieldingly re tractsaid bolt from projected position on thedisengagement of said hitch from the bolt, and projections on thebifurcated portion of said bolt for actuating the same' to projectedposition.

1n testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this Specification.

l JOHN P. BECKER.

